The Police were at Overlee on Saturday 12^th May after a number of complaints from residents due to inconsiderate and sometimes dangerous parking on the adjacent streets (and pavements).
The Police view is that they would rather work with us to improve the situation but realise that if our members and parents won't take the warning then they will start to issue tickets. I believe the residents have already approached the local council and are demanding that double yellow lines be painted on the bend directly outside the park.
The precedent has already been set when we lost the use of Huntly park in Giffnock for the exact same reason. 

Please inform parents that this is a serious issue.

As with all our venues we ask that everyone who takes a car, to show some consideration to the local resident and consider whether or not their parking will have a negative impact on those whole live next to or close to the parks. 



Thank you to those of you who made the effort to attend the last meeting in March. It was scheduled to be an information night focusing on the re launch of the Positive Coaching Scotland program. Unfortunately the speaker called off late in the afternoon because of a family emergency. This event will be rescheduled for some time in the Autumn program. His absence allowed us to hear from you with regards to issues. We have addressed some of these already but others will need further consideration and advice from Hampden. 

Some reminders were needed already and it was apparent that a number of coaches have not read the coaches handbook which was distributed at the In service day back in February. Please read it as the pathway rules are inside.

It was noted again that coaches are not refereeing games. Until such time as we can source match supervisors it is still your responsibility to referee half a game each. When and if we can source match supervisors, expect to pay for their services.

People/supporters standing behind the goals.
All coaches and spectators should be watching games from the sidelines ...Not behind the goals! 

Our Web co ordinator, Michael, has intimated that he is stepping down from his role. As an Association we would like to thank Michael for all his time and effort.

Like all our volunteers he has dealt with a number of different and sometimes difficult issues to serve our local football community. The role consists of updating the website and keeping it up and running. Liaison with Ersda secretary and President on a regular basis and posting any/all relevant information and news supplied and relevant.

Michael will be happy to give any new co ordinator a heads up.   If you have some computer skills and would be interested in helping us out please contact Ersda at secretary@ersda.co.uk or president@ersda.co.uk 

After discussions with the council the committee have decided that from now on Ersda will not run fixtures or book facilities on holiday weekends. Over the years this has always been an issue. When we scheduled fixtures half the teams pulled out. This Easter we gave teams the option but ended up spending a lot of man hours working out a fixture list for them. At the May weekend we put the onus on the teams to start talking to each other and take some of the responsibility and organise themselves. The uptake was low.

With a major squeeze on public spending East Renfrewshire council expressed their concern about the under utilisation of the parks on the holiday weekends and highlighted that because of staffing costs it was not cost effective to run at less than half capacity. As such they have asked Ersda to consider a major increase in the Let fees for holiday weekends or to accommodate by removing them completely from the fixture dates.  The committee agreed that it would be unfair on those not utilising those dates to be expected to subsidies those who had chosen not to play if indeed the increase was as substantial as implied.

Ersda would encourage those still keen to play on holiday weekends to contact the council directly and organise and pay for their own facilities on such dates.

Jubilee weekend Saturday 2nd of June.

There will be no fixtures issued for this date. All bookings for this date have been cancelled. Those still wishing to play should contact the council directly to book and pay for the use of a facility. 

We have at last managed to tie Hampden down to accommodate a Protection of Vulnerable Groups signing night.

Venue: Mearns Castle High School Monday 11^th June 2012, starting at 7.15.p.m

A few of us will be trained up on the night, before the event. If you feel this would be an opportunity to get someone from your club involved, for the benefit of Ersda and for the benefit of your club please get in touch with our Child Protection Officer Scott Bryce on childprotection@ersda.co.uk
      

Some of you will already have been contacted by Ersda with regards to your registration status with the governing body of our sport, football. It is paramount that you deal with this as soon as possible if you have not done so yet please attend to. The SYFA have made it abundantly clear to Ersda that any team not registered should not be allowed to play football. We were very close to cancelling all the fixtures on a Saturday this season on information given to us by Hampden. This same information is supplied to the council and they too have warned us that teams who have not affiliated should not and would not be allowed to use any East Ren facilities(including training lets).
The major issue with both organisations is that unaffiliated clubs are seen as uninsured and unable to testify that they have met the basic requirements of any organised club... not meeting the criteria set out by the Governing body!

We are trying to work with our clubs but stress the responsibility is yours to get the ball rolling and follow through. Brand new clubs may be given a short window to get the appropriate training done but those of you who have been with the association for more than a season have to start planning ahead.

By the restart of the season in August; Any club which cannot prove it has affiliated to the SYFA will be excluded from Ersda. Any Club who have failed to contact Hampden to start the registration process before the end of May will be removed from the fixture list for the remainder of this session!

Those clubs/coaches who intimated to us after the Ersda Registrations back in January, that they could bring in another team(s) should please note that if you wish to bring in another unit come August(if we have space) should take note of the above and take steps to affiliate to the SYFA. 

John Gervaise, local SFA Football Development Officer for East Renfrewshire has been able to offer Ersda 3 members of his staff to assist us on Saturday mornings. The initial plan is to send the team out to the venues to observe what’s going on at the grassroots. We have asked the gentlemen to observe and feedback to Ersda on a number of issues including the behaviour of players, coaches, and supporters. We want to know if the Ersda ethos is actually being applied by our members and whether or not we/you are helping to create the right atmosphere to enhance the football experience of our young charges.

The SFA staff are not just helping police the venues. As experienced and highly qualified coaches they will also be taking an interest in you the coaches so don't be afraid to ask them relevant questions.

We have 6 venues to cover and presently are utilising the gentlemen at 2 venues each Saturday. It may be a few weeks before you meet them and your time slot may mean you don't see them at all. They are not taking over the role of Venue co ordinator.

SFA hope to announce their summer program locally soon. Details will follow but Ersda believes that 2 summer weeks are planned, one in early July and one in early August branded as a pre season camp. Ersda are happy to endorse these camps and will pass on details as soon as we have them.

John Gervaise is also planning on rolling out a combined program with Ersda after the summer holidays to strengthen the SFA s links with our Association. It is hoped to develop and grow the SFA Pathway. John is planning to inform us of his plans at the General Purposes Meeting on Monday 18^th June. 

As part of the re launch of Ersda this season it was decided that a new broom needed a new image. As such we are now asking the clubs to invite their young players to design and draw a new Logo for the East Renfrewshire Soccer Development Association (Ersda). 
The winning design will be used as the official badge of the Association and be used on the website and on all future correspondence, hopefully for many years to come.  I will ask John Gervaise and his team at the East Renfrewshire SFA office to judge the winning submission. The winner will receive a small prize.

The theme can be local. The theme can be totally football or a mix of both. It should contain the associaitions full title/name.

Entries can be emailed to secretary@ersda.co.uk or president@ersda.co.uk or handed to any of the Venue co ordinators on a Saturday morning or posted to Tommy Millar at Springhill Primary School Barrhead.

Please state name, Age, Club and a contact number of the entrant.  
It is unlikely that we will be unable to return entries Closing date for submissions is Friday 8^th June 

East Renfrewshire Sports Services Coach Education Weekend has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to gain introductory sport specific coaching awards and generic sports related workshops.

The Coach Education weekend contains courses that are relevant to the needs of the local community. The weekend aim is to develop the quality and quantity of sports volunteers and coaches within the local authority.

All places must be booked and paid for in advance. Applications and payment will not be accepted at the venue on the day. Failure to attend will not result in a refund.

You can download the booklet and application form from the Documents section or from this link.